Netgear - How did you find me? I’m not on LinkedIn!? Amazon UK account lead UK

Description:

Netgear, Inc. is an American global networking company that delivers products to consumers, businesses and service providers. The company operates in three business segments: retail, commercial, and service provider.

They employ around 1000 people with a turnover in the region of $1.4 Billion. Netgear make it easy for you to have the smartest home in the neighborhood, with the latest, fastest networking technology. From the most advanced wireless internet connectivity, to superior streaming, remote home video monitoring, and storage solutions.

Brief:

Netgear’s biggest Global route to market is via their partnership with Amazon. Netgear hold a Platinum partner status standing them out from other vendors who collaborate with Amazon. Based on this Netgear wanted to hire an individual in the UK to head up their relationship with Amazon.co.uk. For 6 months Netgear had been utilising two recruitment agencies unsuccessfully, continually being presented candidates who did not hold the necessary length experience required with Amazon. Based on the lack of success to date and time pressure on making this hire, Netgear retained Iperium in order to identify and on-board an individual. Based on the critical nature of the hire Netgear wanted to on-board someone with the necessary experience inside 60 days from engagement.

Process:

Through a process of identifying other Amazon Platinum partners, Iperium were able to quickly identify a list of prospect target organisations. Having identified companies Iperium then made approach’s to the individuals within these companies that were responsible for managing and driving business through the Amazon channel.

From the signing of the retained agreement Iperium generated a shortlist of 5 candidates inside 10 business days. Each candidate had the necessary pre requisite experience of understanding the Amazon relationship from the top down and all were currently working at another Platinum partner.

Outcome:

Having gone through a rigorous interview process one standout candidate remained. Shazad Sufi from Epson who had taken their Amazon sales from £3m to £16m within six years. Shazad, once offered the role, accepted and quickly gravitated to lead the UK online sales team.

One of the key aspects of this process is that Shazad has ZERO online presence. Shazad chose not to have a LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter account at the time but he now does have some online profile via the Iperium website!